Bill Clinton Essays - Mental Processes, Memory, Cognition

Bill Clinton The article I chose is called Reinventing yourself and it talks about research on memory. According to the author who you are is limited only by your imagination. What does it mean? Thats what I will try to explain on the following couple pages. As I understood this article, its talking about how our imagination influences the memory. It starts with the examples from peoples lives. Bill Clinton told American people that he never served for Vietnam, and the reasons he gave appeared to be totally different from the reasons that came up after a research. Or, Gary Trudeau, cartoonist, that was telling people the same story for about 20 years about the way he avoided army, saying that he was a student and his three-year student deferment had run out, which meant his call-up was imminent. In fact, what appeared after a research, his dad was a doctor, and he didnt serve in Vietnam because of his health condition. This is a good example of how our present life develops our imagination that adds to the memory and makes it different from a reality. But this is the way our imagination reflects and connects our past, present and future. And sometimes we start to think about what do we need a memory for. And the answer is to learn from our experiences without having to repeat them endlessly. Thats why very few moments in our life can repeat exactly. And when we share the personal histories, it helps to keep the relationships going, but, as a matter of fact, what really happened is not that dramatic and critical as the way we talk about it afterwards. Lets imagine talking about memories from childhood, and suddenly somebody interrupts us and says that it couldnt happened and you are wrong. What are you going to do? How are you going to prove it? And what the statistics show now is that many people instead of trying to find a proof such as pictures, tapes, videos will prefer just to imagine what could happen and how would it feel if this could happen now. Psychologist Helen Hembrook discovered this. In 1996 psychologists made a research by giving the example of the same events to the same people twice that could happen to them in their childhood, and it appeared that many of them gave different answers twice and, besides this, some of them just imagined that it could happened to them and this made them to really believe that it happened. Thats what the psychologists call imagination inflation. Also, sometimes, we can remember the source of the information better than the information by itself, and opposite, the information without a source, that is called source monitoring according to Marcia Johnson. And, of course, we remember recent experiments more accurately and more likely to interpret them correctly than childhood ones that we normally confuse. Certainly, we cant confuse everything, and there are some things that we cant make ourselves to believe in, such as I won a lottery, when you never did win one. So, basically, the whole article comes to the main point that we rely on memories of the past to help us imagine and make sense of the present. We develop some experiences that are common and dont change, like for example, going to the restaurant, waiting for waiter to bring a bill, etc. Sometimes people use their imagination to make sense of someone elses past. To prove this, author gives an example Hillary Rodham Clinton that was trying to explain her husbands unfaithfulness as a result of being in the middle of conflict between two women that surrounded the boy in his childhood. And this is something that she has been told by couple psychologist and certainly can be right. The thing is that we often forget bad memories but scientific study doesnt support this point of view and says that such bad memories as childhood sexual abuse and so on just seem to be forgotten, but they are not, and sooner or later the present will reflect this past. Sometimes there are situations when imagination becomes a terribly dangerous problem. It happens when it makes us to believe in some events and

Persuasive Essay essays

Persuasive Essay essays Would you like to get a high paying job? Then you need to go to school. Without an education you cant get a get good job. An education is what you need. An education is a great accomplishment. A higher education can get you a higher paying Job. Without money you cant get things, and Without education you would be working at McDonalds or something, if you had a education you could be something better, now if You want to be a lawyer you need a degree. Thats why an education important. Getting an education is what the smart thing to do is. Dont get me wrong though its hard to get an education. I think the main reason why people drop out is because they probably get bored and cant take it going to school. The way I see it is you place in your head that when you get out of collage your going to get a great high paying job. I guarantee that if you get an education you will get a high paying job. Now dont you want a high paying job? ...

Compare and contrast the City of Bath with another historic city of Essay

Compare and contrast the City of Bath with another historic city of your choice that faces the conflict and challenges of being - Essay Example Oxford is also a historic city which has offered world-class education since medieval times. Many historic sites and buildings in these towns are protected by British laws and international statutes that prevent them from being converted (Great Britain House of Commons, 2009). However, the two cities keep on growing and there are different land use types that are emerging. This paper examines the challenges that arise from the tensions between the preservation of historic and landmark sites with emphasis on Bath and Oxford. It goes further to analyse the ways in which these two cities are dealing with the challenge of using land to meet its historical and tourism needs on one side and its general and economic land use needs. TENSIONS BETWEEN URBAN CONSERVATION & URBAN LAND USE Urban development comes about as a result of the numerous needs of people in society (Cohen, 1999). Different groups of people have different land use needs and this gives the need for various considerations in urban generation and regeneration. A major land use type in cities in England is the historic site usage (Tessa, 2005). Tessa (2005) goes further to identify that urban historic land marks give a physical form to individual and communal history in the form of architecture and edifices that come with countless stories about various timelines in history. This is an avenue for the discharge of some human values as well as economic returns from events like tourism. On the other hand, though, people need lands to fulfil their individual and communal needs. These needs are honoured through consensus between various stakeholder units in the society and it leads to so much debate and tensions (De La Torre, 2005). According to Betty (2011), the main areas that the tensions occur in urban development where heritage site conservation is concerned include: 1. The Need for Growth V Restricted Development Capacity 2. Sustainable Economic Prosperity V Dangers of Destroying priceless landmarks 3. Innovation V protection of Heritage 4. Preservation V Requests of Community for housing, education, jobs and transportation 5. Increasing tourism V Loss of distinctive competitive strengths THE CASE OF BATH & OXFORD Bath and Oxford seem to have similar problems in the area of the constraints between urban growth and heritage site management and conservation. Demographic Issues Bath’s population has remained steady between 85,000 and 75,000 over the past forty years. 1971, the population was about 85,000. It fell to about 80,000 and 79,000 in 1981 and 1991 respectively. In 2001, the population stood around 84,000 (Statistics & Census Information). Over 38% of the residents are over 60 years (Betty, 2011). This huge ageing population indicates that Bath’s younger generation are leaving the town in huge numbers because there are more economic and social opportunities elsewhere. Also, there are challenges like fuel poverty, which affects about 8% of the populace. The situa tion on Bath puts the city authorities in a situation where they need to do something to retain their active population. This entails improving economic and work conditions in the city as well as the creation of socio-cultural

The anti-Cancer activity of Rhein in Leukaemia Essay - 1

The anti-Cancer activity of Rhein in Leukaemia - Essay Example The tissue wherever the cells are deposited gets clogged and their function is compromised. Along with the increased proliferation of a set of WBCs, the normal red blood cells (RBC), as well as the platelet synthesis in severely impaired (Ciesla, 2007). The normal function of the bone marrow is also suppressed causing a generalized bone marrow failure. The compromised synthesis and maturation of RBC causes reduction in total circulating RBCs and hence reduced hemoglobin termed as anaemia. The leukaemia cells (like all the other malignant cells) have a tendency to invade the distant organs and tissues known as metastasis. These cells thus enter and get deposited in liver, spleen and lungs where the macrophages of the reticuloendothelial system are highly active. The reduced platelet generation from the impaired bone marrow is responsible for the spontaneous bleeding seen in advanced stages of leukemia. Leukaemia can be divided into four classes, viz. acute myeloid, chronic myeloid, acute lymphoid and chronic (Hoffbrand et al, 2006). The acute leukeamia has rapid onset, and is characterized by the presence of blasts and other immature cells in blood. It may present in any age group of subjects and the organo-megali is not very pronounced. (Sekeres et al, 2007). On the other hand, chronic leukaemia is characterized by slow and subtle onset, primarily affects the adults and the blood profile shows increased concentration of mature white blood cells. In Britain, the incidence of leukaemias is quite less compared to the other types of cancer, accounting for about 3% of all cases. Less than 10000 new cases of leukaemia are being reported in UK (Cancer research UK). Therefore, although not very common, the high morbidity and mortality associated with leukaemia makes it an of great concern. A cancer cell lines are always derived from the patient harboring the malignant cells. The cancer cells from patients with specific characteristics are isolated and stabilized

Film and Video Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Film and Video - Assignment Example Other developments such as women’s suffrage then the financial boom which ended in a market crash in 1929 leading to the Great Depression made the generation traumatic. Traumatized by the war (with some becoming suicidal due to PSTD), working in odd jobs such as sweatshops and selling newspapers and without diversion due to the Prohibition movement (prohibition of alcohol) made this generation traumatic and perhaps this explains why this generation was called as the Lost Generation. Thus this generation looked for outlet for what they lacked. In economic opportunity due to the sweatshops they are accustomed to, entrepreneurs were born and so was the rise of individualism and spirt of entrepreneurship. Immigrants flocked into the United States to try their luck with the American Dream. So the Lost Generation looked for outlet in their entertainment. Thus their entertainment was described as pure escapism which reflected the generation’s feeling of instability and displacement during their time. Traumatized with war, overworked in factories, stressed and poor, people then looked for escape from their hard life and ugly reality. This explains why John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath were adopted in the big screen as it talked about a family’s â€Å"migration of the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma to the agricultural fields of California†. People were able to relate to this poignant screen as most people shared that kind of life at some point or another. Then Scarlett O’Hara’s Gone With the Wind became popular as it encapsulated the Depression of the Lost Generation. It talked about the girl who endured poverty but still had the courage to say that â€Å"tomorrow is another day†. But what really caught the spirt of the time was the movie The Wizard of Oz. This movie may be a fantasy movie where the main character of Dorothy’s migrated from reality to fantasy, â€Å"as objects signifying permanence (picket fences, cows, and

Annotated Bibliography Of John Steinbeck

Annotated Bibliography Of John Steinbeck East of Eden is John Steinbecks most famous novel. This book published in 1952 has won international critical acclaim, and propelled Steinbeck to international glory. Critics, both positive and negative, often describe the book as the most ambitious literary project of Steinbeck. The book talks about the intricacies of two families that live in the Salinas valley. The families are the Hamiltons and the Trasks. The two families have interwoven stories. The book originally addresses the authors two young sons, Thom and john. The book describes in detail the Salinas valley in California where the story is set. The story also involves other places like Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Salinas valley in central California is aptly described as it is the setting of the book. The story begins with the Hamilton family that has emigrated from Ireland. Samuel Hamilton raised his brood of nine children on some infertile patch of land until they are able to fed for themselves. As Hamiltons children begin to leave home, a well-off stranger buys the best ranch in the Salinas valley. The stranger is Adam Trask, and he has come to his riches after discovering that his father left him and his brother some worthwhile inheritance. Adam has fallen in love, and married Cathy Ames, a girl who is described as a monster. This is because she has been a manipulator of men, and she has left home after killing her parents. After giving birth, Cathy shoots Adam in the shoulders and flees. Adam has to rear his twin boys with the help of Samuel Hamilton and Lee. Lee is a Cantonese servant of Adam. The three men make good companionship and engage in lively biblical debates. Cathy turns to prostitution, and through murder, manages to acquire a brothel. The boys grow up, and Samuel Hamilton dies. Adam loses his fortune in a business misfortune. One of the boys chooses to farm, and the other twin becomes a priest. Caleb the farmer gets to be successful. During thanksgiving, he gives his father a gift of $15,000, which his father rejects. Meanwhile, his brother, Aron wants to drop out of college. The book ends with Adam bedridden, and Lee pleading with Adam to forgive his son. Benson.J. (1977). John Steinbeck: Novelist as Scientist. Novel, Vol. (10):6. It is important to note that, during the publication of East of Eden, the book did not get positive acclaim. It was rejected for many literary and biblical allusions that did not auger well with the critics of his day. East of Eden has been loved by the general readership worldwide. One of the failures of the East of Eden is that the book has borrowed heavily from Author Gunns book, New family physician. The borrowing is used to deepen the creative legacy and artistic portrait of Samuel Hamilton. John Steinbeck, in writing East of Eden, has strayed from his literary style and adherence to realism and naturalism. This is because of his habit of what he has referred to as creative reading. Creative reading can be related to creative writing. Only in this case it is the opposite, for the creative reader reads to write. The implication is that Steinbeck has immersed himself in various documents, some of them scientific to come up with East of Eden. The book has been superimposed with so many allusions that it loses the fictional ability with which it is supposed to command the reader of fiction. The result is that the book borders on non fictional work. In many respects, the book is drawn from the authors background. This makes it an autobiographical stretch of his life. For example, Samuel Hamilton, the benign farmer is a representation of Steinbecks grandfather. His execution of form (Steinbecks) is heavily influenced by other works. The problem is not the heavy borrowing, the problem is the way he has failed to disguise his borrowing. It is a fact that all great literary work is some form of copying, or stealing. Shakespeare plagiarized ninety percent from ancient Greek writing. He plagiarized in mastery disguise, and what we have of him are great works. East of Eden is blatantly plagiarized. Fensch, T. (1988). Conversations with John Steinbeck. New York: Free Press. The use of symbols and symbolization has been employed to masterly level in East of Eden. Like in all his other novels, symbolism is one of the marks that distinguish the works of Steinbeck. Symbolism is the use of objects, figures, colors and characters in representing abstract ideas and concepts. The usage of symbolism in East of Edn is of the most classical nature. Symbolism brings out the realism in East of Eden without sacrificing modernism. Salinass valley, that was the original title of the novel, is a representation of the biblical Garden of Eden. The lyrical opening of the book with a description of the smells and sights of the valley parallels the garden of Edn that is virginal in its depiction in the bible. The Salinas valley is the home of the contest between the likes of Adam and Cathy. It depicts the genesis of the great diabolical deception that contributed to the fall of man. The title rightly depicts the fall of man, for in the biblical chronology, man was chased out towards the east. The mountains in the Salinas valley represent the struggle of man between the eternal forces of good and bad. The scars that Charles Trask get after wounding himself represent the mark of Cain. French, W. (1976). John Steinbeck and Modernism, in Steinbecks Prophetic Vision of America, ed. Tetsumaro Hayashi and Kenneth Swan. Indiana: Upland press. One of the characteristics of the books of Steinbeck is that they contain spiritual positivism. In East of Eden there, is the tendency of the writer to want to lift the reader and to encourage the reader. This is one of the most enduring positive traits of East of Eden. The author does not adopt a strict moralistic view or an amoral view. Rather, it puts to the reader that sainthood and damnation are both available to human beings. The difference between the two is determined by the choice of man. The author has drawn vivid biblical allusions that portray that human choices are the determinants if his destiny. The titling of the book captures the fall of man in the original Garden of Eden. The author has, however, used some depictions that contradict the biblical stories. In reading the book, it is apparent that the portrayal of women is negative. The negative traits of Cathy Ames are exaggerated. It is a well known fact that the author depicts her as the devil, and this is taking th e negation of women too far. This is because no other male character gets to do the wicked things that she has been doing. The other insult to womanhood is that the author has not at least developed another female character to counter the negative image of Cathy Ames. The grief that is so apparent at the end of the book does not do much to lift the hope of the reader. The sense of guilty that follows the characters in the book is not good for the book. This is because the main characters seem to find no atonement for the wrongs that they have done in society. Parini, J. (1996). John Steinbeck: A Biography. Carlifornia: Holt Publishing. The critical acclaims that Steinbeck has got have been from his short stories and rarely for his novels. A significant observation is that the author has not faired well even with a book that won him the Nobel Prize in literature in 1962. This is the book, East of Eden. In fact, his literary fame and reputation declined with the publication of East of Eden. The book in discussion, East of Eden, is overly theatrical. Its biblical allusions are farfetched, and the portrayal main character lacks originality. The book is an amalgamation of themes, characters and literary styles from various sources without cogent intrinsic threading. It is disconjuctive in it ending, and leaves the reader with a sour taste in the mouth. The book is too sentimental and philosophically simplistic. Although Steinbeck remains on of the most celebrated authors, East of Eden is no Paradise Lost. Its humor is overly sympathetic, and the sociological perception that is said to distinguish is work is water down i n this work by an overt desire to see himself, and his family, in his works. Robert. ed. (2002). John Steinbeck, Novels 1942-1952. Washington: Library of America. East of Eden is a paradox in its reception. This is because the public received the book well with the critics writing off the book. The book, like all Steinbecks past world war two books, is not hard to understand. This is because it develops the themes that are first exposed in his short stories. The criticisms of heavy borrowing from Gunns works, and the biblical allusions cannot detract from his work.

Cryptography Essay -- Data Encryption

Cryptography is such a broad part of our lives we do not even notice the smallest applications, shopping on eBay or watching satellite television. I bet you even used cryptology when you were in school and did not even know it. Ever write a message in numbers instead of letters? Each letter of the alphabet correlated to its number position in the alphabet. The number sequence 3,16,25,12,20,15,12,15,7,25 equals cryptology. This is a form of cryptology in its most basic form. Webster's dictionary defines Cryptography as : n. 1. The act or art of writing in code or secret characters; also, secret characters, codes or ciphers, or messages written in a secret code. 2. The science which studies methods for encoding messages so that they can be read only by a person who knows the secret information required for decoding, called the key; it includes cryptanalysis, the science of decoding encrypted messages without possessing the proper key, and has several other branches; see for example steganography. [1] Cryptographies main purpose is to hide messages and information. One of the earliest forms of cryptography was the rearranging of letters in messages. This was known as transportation ciphers. A cipher is a system in which plain text, usually the letters, are transposed or substituted according to a predetermined code. Another early form of cryptography was the substitution of letters. One cipher was named after Julius Caesar who was said to have used a 3 letter shift. This involved substituting a letter with another letter in the alphabet three positions away. Caesar used this method to communicate with his generals in wartimes. [2] Cryptography tries to protect the confidential nature in the communications of military leaders ... ...to keep secret. References 1. http://www.webster-dictionary.net/d.aspx?w=Cryptography 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptography 3. Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible, James D G Dunn, John W Rogerson, eds., Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003, ISBN 0-8028-3711-5 4. Kama Sutra, Sir Richard F. Burton, translator, Part I, Chapter III, 44th and 45th arts. 5. David Kahn, The Codebreakers, 1967, ISBN 0-684-83130-9. 6. http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/nsa/stories/crypto.history/ 7. Whitfield Diffie and Martin Hellman, "New Directions in Cryptography", IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, vol. IT-22, Nov. 1976, pp: 644-654. 8. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/SSL.html 9. http://computing-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/TCP%2FIP+port 10. http://news.com.com/FAQ+Sonys+rootkit+CDs/2100-1029_3-5946760.html?tag=nl 11. http://www.rsasecurity.com/node.asp?id=1158

A House on Fire Essay

Fire is a good servant, helping us with the cooking and providing warmth during those chilly winter nights, but it can also be a bad master when we underestimate its destructive power. It’s for this reason that fire needs to be handled with care. Playing with it can be dangerous, and at times can also prove fatal to those unfortunate enough to find themselves in its path. Our next-door neighbours were lucky in that nobody was injured, but the same thing cannot be said about their beloved house. Although it’s been ten years now, I can still remember the whole thing as if it were yesterday, and each time, the thought of that terrifying episode makes my blood run cold. It was a hot stuffy summer night when it all took place. Back then air-conditioners were not a common sight, so everyone had no choice but to resort to leaving the windows wide open at night to let the breeze in. Not that one could have used the air-conditioner that night anyway – there was a power cut, which in turn also explains the cause of the fire. From accounts following the incident, it seems that it all started because of an oil lamp that had been left on a cupboard in the sitting room downstairs. A strong gust of wind must have come in through the window, knocking the oil lamp over onto the curtain, which burst into flames in no time. The fresh breeze from the open windows kept feeding the hungry flames, which continued eating away at the walls and furniture. The fire spread quickly and soon the sofa, carpets and furniture were ablaze. It was the acrid smell of burning that woke up the occupants of the house from their dreams, to an even worse nightmare. They jumped out of their beds, ran downstairs, and made a dash for the door, but they were stopped in their tracks when part of the ceiling came crushing down in front of them, blocking their only way of escape. It was then that their heart missed a beat, realising for the first time that they were trapped. They remained frozen still, shocked at the sight of that burning inferno. The pungent smoke filled their nostrils and lungs, making them choke and cough. The heat was like a solid wall. Going forward was pointless! Fear rose in their throat at the thought of dying, and they wanted to cry, but they fought down their panic and tried to think clearly of a good plan instead. Spurred by their terror and the will to survive, they ran back upstairs, swift as a  cat, and sprang into the bathroom. While trying to regain lost breath, their father immediately soaked them from head to toe with water. He also got towels, put them under the running water, and placed some of them on their heads. The remaining wet towels were placed under the door to stop the smoke coming in. Then their father opened the window and they all started to scream and yell at the top of their voices. It was that blood curdling sound of screaming which startled me from my sleep. I was not prepared for what I was about to see however. Peering out of my bedroom window I came face to face with our neighbour’s house, completely engulfed by the fire. I rushed to my parents’ room to tell dad, who immediately went to call the fire brigade and the hospital to send a rescue team. In a matter of minutes we heard the shrill noise of the sirens and soon after the fire-engine could be seen speeding down the street, followed by an ambulance and a police car, and coming to a sudden halt just in front of the house. The firemen immediately jumped down from their truck, unrolled the water hosepipes and placed a long ladder against the wall. A brave fireman climbed the ladder to reach the trapped family, while the rest of the team, with hosepipes in hand, fought hard to control the terrible flames. In those frightful moments that followed, it was as if time stood still. The firemen kept directing powerful streams of water into the burning building, but the flames showed no sign of wanting to die. Finally, after what seemed like ages, the trapped neighbours were brought down to safety, to the joy and clapping of all the people who had come on the scene. They had been saved in the nick of time! The paramedics, who until then were on stand-by, lowered each one of them onto the waiting stretchers, and rushed them to hospital. Although they weren’t injured, they were suffering from a terrible shock and had inhaled lots of toxic fumes. The firemen stayed behind until the flames had been completely extinguished. What remained of the house were the blackened walls; the inside was collapsing. That night I couldn’t catch any sleep because of all the commotion. I felt agitated, and the crackling sound of the spent flames and the crashing stones kept me awake all through the night.

Brain Structures involved in Risk-Taking

Evolutionarily speaking, humans, as a species, may long have possessed a risk-taking personality (Zuckerman, 2000). Being risk-takers, our ancestors have been able to survive and pass on their genes to their offspring. Their primary means of survival, which is hunting for wild animals for food, and also their means for propagating their genes, mating, are examples of risky behaviors manifested by humans of centuries ago. However, despite our innate nature of being risk-takers, individuals differ in their levels of risk-taking trait, believed to be a function of heredity.According to Zuckerman (2000), the sensation-seeking trait which encapsulates the risk-taking behaviors, is 60% genetic –higher than the average, which points to 30% to 50%. But aside from genetics, he also mentioned that other factors which might affect a person’s level of risk-taking are the biochemistry of neurotransmitter systems and the structure and function of the brain. Brain structures There has been a significant amount of research covering the relationship of various areas of the brain with risk-taking behavior.Most of them have identified particular brain structures as being connected with the persistence of risky behavior in humans. The primary structures that have been identified are located in the Frontal and Parietal lobes, suggesting the involvement of working memory and imagery in the selection process, respectively. Risks were found to produce higher activation than certain alternatives in both of these lobes (Gonzalez et. al. , 2005). This indicates that considerably more cognitive effort is involved in the selection of a risky gain than that of a guaranteed one.In particular, structures such as the: (1) inferior pre-frontal cortex (Paulus et al. , 2001), (2) nucleus accumbens, (3) orbital frontal cortex, (4) the insula (Critchley et al. , 2001), (5) the ventrolateral and ventromedial frontal cortices (Elliott et al. , 1999; Rogers et al. , 1999; Elliott et al. , 2000), (6) the amygdala (Trepel, et al. , 2005), (6) the anterior cingulate cortex (Elliott et al. , 2000), and the (6) parietal cortex (Paulus et al. , 2001) have been reported to be activated in studies on risk-taking.The pre-frontal cortex, located in the frontal lobe, was found to affect the estimation of future outcomes and appraisal of risky choices. Significant prefrontal activation was observed in many other risk-taking studies (Ernst et al. , 2002; Paulus et al. , 2003; Krain et al. , 2006; Van Leijenhorst et al. , 2006). The dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex, in particular, was found to be responsible for a person’s ability to plan for future actions –a required step in a decision-making task under a risky situation. On the other hand, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex has another specific function in decision-making under risk.This area of the brain is activated when the person faced with a risky decision-making task anticipates losses in the said task (Tre pel, et al. , 2005). However, this area may be less influential than another area identified, the nucleus accumbens (located in the brainstem), in terms of evaluating reward (Galvan et. al. , 2006). This area of the brain was found to be correlated with subsequent risk-taking behaviors since the activation of the nucleus accumbens is consistent with the idea that risk-taking behavior may be reinforcing.This is due to the findings that anticipation of risky outcomes activates reward-related systems (Kuhnen & Knutson, 2005). The amygdala, on the other hand, is also responsible for emotion and learning (Trepel, et al. , 2005). It is one of the areas that influence reward processing in risk-taking tasks (Steinberg, 2007). According to Trepel (2005), people who have lesions in this structure are more prone to choose the option which entails more risk.This is because the amygdala is shown to be an essential structure in the anticipation of losses in a risky decision-making situation. The right insula was observed to have significantly stronger activation in subjects who selected a risky response in a risky-gains task. In addition, the degree of activation of the insula was correlated to the probability of selecting a safe response after a punished response. The degree of harm avoidance and neuroticism of the subjects’ affected the activation of the insula as well (Paulus et. al. , 2003). Objectives of the StudyThis research study aims to demonstrate the differences in activation in the brain structures of people from different developmental stages and genders while perceiving or engaging in a risky behavior using an fMRI imaging technique. Also, the participants’ risk-taking behaviors will be assessed through a scale and the results will then be compared with those of the results of the fMRI scan. The researchers would also like to determine if there are certain brain structures that have developed further because of individuals heightened tendency to engage in risky decision-making.It is hypothesized that results of this experiment will be similar to the findings of the previous researches, that the prefrontal cortex and other associated regions would be the areas responsible for risky decision-making. Also, it is assumed that there would be differences based on the participants’ ages, when it comes to risk-taking trait and that these differences would also manifest in the development of the certain brain parts responsible for their behavior. For the people assessed as risk-takers, those areas that are responsible for their increase in risk-taking behavior are more developed than the other parts of the brain.METHODOLOGY Participants A total of 18 participants will take part in this experiment. This will comprise of six adolescents (age 7-11), six young adults (age 21-29) and six middle-aged adults (age 38-50). Each group will be further composed of three males and three females. Adolescents are defined as participants age d 7 to 11, while adults are those aged 23-29. Subjects would be screened to make sure that they have no history of neurological or psychiatric disorder. Adolescent participants will be volunteers from the Psych 101 subject pool while the adult participants will be volunteers from internet advertisements sent by the researchers.Participants below 18 years old would be required to have their parents’ consent before participating. Materials Cognitive Appraisals of Risky Events Scale (CARE). The CARE is a 30-item self-report measure that consists of six factor-analytically derived scales that represent six categories of risk-taking behavior (Fromme, Katz, & Rivet, 1997; Appendix B). Its scales involve (1) Illicit Drug Use, (2) Aggressive/Illegal Behaviors, (3) Risky Sexual Activities, (4) Heavy Drinking, (5) High Risk Sports, and (6) Academic/Work Behaviors.The CARE uses a seven point Likert scale (1=not at all likely; 7=extremely likely) to rate three types of outcome expectanci es: (1) Expected Risk (ER) or likelihood of a negative consequence, (2) Expected Benefit (EB) or likelihood of a positive consequence, and (3) Expected Involvement (EI) or the likelihood of engaging in the activity in the next six months. The CARE has also been used to assess participation in prior risk-taking behavior (Katz et al. , 2000). Risk Perception Questionnaire.The risk perception questionnaire will measure the risk perception or the perceived adverse consequence and risk preference which describes whether one believes the benefits inherent in an activity outweigh the costs, or vice versa (Gardner & Steinberg, 2005). Along with the CARE, participants will be asked to rate the risk involved in engaging to these behaviors. For each scenario, the participants will be asked to provide a rating from 1 to 7: (1) If you did this activity, how scary are the things that could happen?(1 = Risks are not scary at all; 7 = Risks are very scary); (2) If you did this activity, how much ar e you at risk for something bad happening? (1 = I would be very much at risk; 7 = I would not be at risk); (3) How would you compare the benefits (or pleasures) of this activity with the risks (1 = Risks much greater than the benefits; 4 = Risks equal the benefits; 7 = Benefits are much greater than the risks); (4) If something bad happened because of this activity, how serious would it be? (1 = Not at all serious; 7 = Very serious).The higher the ratings for each scenario would mean higher risk and risk perception for the behavior to elicit. Procedure – Pretest The aim of the pretest is to come up with one highly representative scenario for each of the six domains of risky behaviors used in the study of Fromme, et al (1997). After consolidating as much scenarios possible of risk taking in coordination with the domains from literature, the researchers will administer a pretest mechanism to figure out which scenario to use for the fMRI part of the experiment.A very brief prete st form will be given to the participants asking the scenarios that come to mind when they imagine each of the six domains. The question for the preliminary form will be very direct and open-ended in questioning. This pretest sheet will be administered to at least 50 adolescents, 30 young adults, and 30 middle-aged adults – different from the pool that the researchers will use for the fMRI part. Once all data are consolidated, the researchers will determine the central themes that are used to depict any of the six domains.The central themes that come up will be used as the scenarios that will be read aloud for the participant when they become asked to appraise different risk-taking situation during the fMRI task. Procedure – Experiment A brief introduction to the research will be given to the participants. The participants will then be asked to fill up a written consent form. The participants will be asked to be tested in the Clinical Neuropsychology Research. They wil l be led to a private room and, after giving out informed consent and completing a demographic questionnaire.When the participant enters the experiment area, he or she will be asked to complete the Cognitive Appraisal of Risky Events Scale (CARE) (Fromme, Katz & Rivet, 1997) with the Risk Perception Questionnaire. The participants will be asked to rate the following factors: Risky Sexual Behavior, Heavy Drinking, Illicit Drug Use, Aggressive and Illegal Behaviors, Irresponsible Academic/Work Behaviors and High Risk Sports in terms of expected risk, expected benefit and expected frequency of behavior. After the pen and paper part of the experiment, the participants will then be asked to schedule an fMRI.They will be asked their contact numbers so that the researches can remind them of the schedule for their interviews. The researchers will ensure that confidentiality and anonymity will be granted for the participants of the experiment. During the fMRI session proper, the researchers will explain thoroughly the process that they will go under. Each participant will be asked to take off all metal accessories that they may have because it might disrupt the data that will be collected by the machine, both seen at the Appendix at the end of this proposal.They will also be asked to wear a hospital gown when they go under the fMRI machine. They will be instructed that they must avoid movement because it might also disrupt the data that would be collected. Once inside the fMRI machine, the researchers along with licensed medical practitioners will give instructions to the participant via microphone in an adjacent room filled with the controls for the machine. The researchers will narrate the scenarios which were found to be most fitting according to the pretest and then ask the participants to think of what they will do in those situations.So that the researchers are assured that the participants will really appraise the tasks, they will be told that they must know the ir answers fully after being inside the machine because they will be asked to explain them to a panel. They will also be given two minutes for each situation to think about what they will do. Six situations will be presented, each will reflect the domains of risk-taking as provided by literature. During the time given for them to think, the machine will take images of their brain.As what research claims as optimal (Horwitz, 2000), images will be taken 2-3 mm apart for every 5-7 seconds to maximize spatial and temporal resolution respectively. This aims to see which brain areas are used when thinking about what they would do in risky situations. After the images of brain activation are taken using the fMRI, the participants will be briefed fully on the nature of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, the data from both the questionnaire and the fMRI images will then be assessed for analysis.The researchers will try to determine whether the results from the self-report translat e to the activation of certain brain parts that have been found to take part in the decision making process of risk taking and appraisal. The areas that the researchers will look out for are orbito-frontal cortex, the prefrontal cortex, the nucleus accumbens. The insula, the ventrolateral and ventromedial frontal cortices, the anterior cingulated cortex and the parietal cortex. Supporting structures like the calcarine sulcus, precuneus, thalamus, cingulated gyrus and superior temporal gyrus will also be closely observed for activation in the brain image.The data will then be compared to the responses of the participants in the CARE scale and the Risk Perception Questionnaire. The cumulative score of each participant should correspond to the brain areas that are hypothesized to be related to the decision making processes involved in risk taking behaviors like the prefrontal cortex (for estimation of future outcome), the nucleus accumbens (for the activation of reward-related system d uring risky-gains situation), the right insula (for harm avoidance and risk appraisal).

Teach for America - Profile on the Teach for America Program

Teach for America - Profile on the Teach for America Program What is Teach for America: Part of Americorps, Teach for America is a national program for new and recent college graduates where they commit to teach for two years in a low-income school teaching disadvantaged students. The mission of the organization according to their website is to build the movement to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting our nations most promising future leaders in the effort. Since its inception in 1990, 17,000 individuals have participated in this rewarding program. Benefits of Participation: First and foremost, participating in Teach for America is a service organization where new teachers can truly make a difference right from the start. Over the course of the two years of involvement, teachers recive five weeks of intensive pre-service training and then ongoing professional development for the course of the program. Participants receive the pay and benefits of a typical teacher for the region where they are working. The program also provides teachers with loan forbearance along with $4,725 at the end of each year of service. They also provide transitional grants and loans ranging from $1000 to $6000. A Little Bit of History: Wendy Kopp presented the idea for Teach for America as an undergraduate at Princeton University. At the age of 21, she raised $2.5 million dollars and began recruiting teachers. The first year of service was in 1990 with 500 teachers. Today over 2.5 million students have been affected by this program. How to Get Involved: According to their website, Teach for America seeks a diverse group of promising future leaders who have the leadership skills to change the prospects of students.... Those recruited do not have to have any prior teaching experience. The competition is stiff. In 2007, only 2,900 were accepted out of 18,000 applicants. Applicants must apply online, participate in a 30 minute phone interview, and if invited attend a full-day face-to-face interview. The application is long and requires a lot of thought. It is suggested that applicants spend some time preparing for the application process before submitting. Issues and Concerns: While Teach for America is in many ways an excellent program, there are some concerns of which teachers should be aware. While according to studies including a recent one by the Urban Institute, teachers who work with Teach for America are in fact more effective than their traditional counterparts. On the other hand in terms of the experience for teachers, some new TFA teachers feel unprepared to be thrown into such a challenging teaching environment. It is important for any potential participant to fully investigate the Teach for America program and if possible speak with those who have actually participated in it.

Nokia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nokia - Essay Example President will be the overseer managing everything through other people. Figure 1 displays how the chain of human resource would work; Making a move to Morocco will require creating a small subsidiary like company in Casablanca. Plus, from the demographic and survey reports, it is clear that the most skilled people live in Casablanca in Morocco, so Nokia’s search will be narrowed down. What they need to be looking are managers for finance, supply chain, sales and production. As the official language of Morocco is Arabic, there will be a lot of web apps needed to be developed specifically for Moroccan people in Arabic language. For this local IT experts and web developers will be welcomed. All of the departments will be in touch with the export manager, as he will be traffic sergeant of all the supplies from Finland, the home of Nokia. Another aspect that needs to be considered is how many personnel will need to hired from Morocco and how many will fly from Finland to Morocco. The reason for this plan is Nokia doesn’t need many phone manufacturing experts in Morocco, there is a complete powerhouse back in Finland for Nokia so there is hardly any need for establishing something along the manufacturing lines in Morocco. Nokia will only nee managers that can manage the sales and marker research side. The building will be located in Burgogne Ouest, which will give Nokia a central spot in the city to move and supply its Lumia phone easily throughout the city. Better access to phone markets will help refill shelves quickly than the competitors. Taxation system in Morocco consists of two paths; the direct and indirect taxation. Corporates come under the taxation frame known as â€Å"impà ´t sur les societies† or simply corporate tax (â€Å"Doing business in,†). Nokia will have to pay a tax rate of 30% of its income as given by Moroccan corporate law. This rate could

Water security among Egypt ,Ethiopia and Sudan- subject is Essay

Water security among Egypt ,Ethiopia and Sudan- subject is international relation - Essay Example 98). The river originates from mainly two countries. The White Nile from Burundi joins the Blue Nile from Ethiopia to form the Nile Basin. The Nile Basin is the major source of water for this region supplying ten countries with water. Egypt is the traditional user of the water and has almost exclusive rights for extracting water from the River Nile. Though a non-contributing country, Egypt benefits from a bilateral 1959 agreement that gives it the largest allocation in the utilization of River Nile’s Water. Sudan, another noncontributing country, gets the second largest share of the river’s resources. Other nations especially, the contributing ones have, for a long time, suffered water scarcity due to the unequal distribution of this water. This has created animosity between neighboring countries and was a source of conflict amongst the countries in this region. Countries upstream have, in recent time, considered controlling the use of the water (Adar, 2011, pp. 73). Some have, for example, built large dams and canals to confine their waters. This issue has been a major concern which the UN lists as one o f the most urgent political issues. Watershed countries in the Nile Basin have realized that a shift from the current state must be fueled by a more equitable sharing of the Nile water. This urge to exploit more water has been occasioned by the desire to achieve economic development. Ethiopia, for example, has initiated hydroelectric power projects along the river’s flow. Despite these efforts, however, economic development has not been achieved in many countries. Most of the countries in the region have long unresolved disputes that hinder the economic prosperity of the people (Jacobs, 2012, pp. 37). Civil wars, famines, strife, and internal and regional discord have been the order of the day in these countries. The disparities in the colonial agreement